Rogue Hearts
by Finduilas88
Summary: A one-night stand with a dashing and dangerous Shadow Thief might sound tempting, but could there be repercussions later?
1. Chapter 1

_I've been replaying BG2 recently with some new mods, and this story was inspired by a couple of them, both available at the Gibberlings 3 site. One, "Alternatives" provides players with a more lawful option to earn their passage to Brynnlaw, by working for a mysterious paladin that (of course) has some tasks for your PC to complete. The second is "Romantic Encounters", which as the name implies adds a number of potential romantic encounters for both male and female PCs. One for female PCs is the option of a spending a night with Renal Bloodscalp, the rather charming and well-spoken Shadow Thief that appears in Chapter 2 of SoA. This story takes place several weeks after the PC's 'encounter' with Renal. _

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Ephraela scanned the crowd surging around her on reflex, a habit ingrained after months of facing sudden and unexpected perils. Not that she thought they would be attacked here; the slum area around the Copper Coronet had become something close to their home ground in the last few weeks, the residents knowing very well that that she and her companions were heavily armed and quite able to defend themselves.

A slender man in black emerged suddenly from a nearby alley, the movement catching her eye. His face was concealed by a deep hood, and just as the first alarm bells began to sound in her head, her gaze traveled to his face. To her surprise, rather than attempting to keep his face hidden he turned to meet her eyes, one eyebrow raised in wry acknowledgement of her scrutiny. She gasped and stopped abruptly, she _knew_ that face, and it was not one she had ever expected to see again. Unfortunately, she had not reckoned with habit of her companion, Sir Anomen Delryn, to walk protectively close behind her whenever they were in public. Her unexpected halt caught him unawares and he crashed into her with a loud clang of his armor against hers, and only his quick grab of her arm saved her from a tumble into the muck of the street.

"My lady! Are you injured?" he asked, worry clouding his eyes as he hauled her upright again. "Ephraela, a thousand pardons, I did not see that you had stopped until too late."

"I am fine, Anomen," she assured him, squeezing his hand in thanks for his assistance. "Though you could always try walking not quite so closely behind me," she said dryly, continuing a long standing disagreement between them.

"Hmph," he replied, unswayed by her reasoning as always. "My lady, I will give that suggestion all the consideration that it merits."

She pursed her lips on a smile and murmured, "See that you do, Anomen."

At some point during their conversation, his arm had found its way around her waist. He smiled warmly, his eyes intent on her face, but before he could reply another voice entered the conversation.

"Are you two quite through?" Jaheira asked testily, "I would like to get to the Coronet _sometime_ tonight. Once we're aboard ship, there will be no opportunity for a bath, most likely not for a decent meal or a comfortable bed either. I am _not_ going to miss this last chance for you two laggards."

"We're coming Jaheira," she replied, exchanging a rueful smile with Anomen. She glanced quickly to where the man in black had been standing; as she expected, he was long gone.

"What caused you to stop so suddenly, Ephraela?" Jaheira asked, "You should be more careful, the last thing we need is for one of us to be seriously injured when we're finally close to reaching Imoen."

"I…I just thought I recognized someone, but I must have been wrong," Ephraela assured her. But she knew hadn't been wrong, and as the made their way to the Coronet she considered what the man's appearance might mean. He was someone well able to avoid detection if he wished; he obviously intended her to see him, of that she was certain. She was far less certain, however, how she felt about seeing Renal Bloodscalp again, or what he could possibly want from her.

Some time later Ephraela was feeling relaxed once more, and had almost forgotten about the surprise meeting. She was leaning comfortably against Anomen's shoulder, listening to her friends chat and make plans for their journey the next day. She sighed contentedly; even though she suspected they had a long road ahead of them before they could rescue Imoen and punish the mad mage Irenicus for his crimes, it felt very good to be finally on their way after weeks of scrounging gold for this opportunity.

"So, young Anomen," Keldorn asked with a smile, "are you pleased with your new mace?"

"Oh, yes, sir, it is remarkable weapon!" Anomen replied enthusiastically. They had recovered a powerful mace, enchanted against the undead, during their attack on the vampire lair under the graveyard. Ephraela had it further enchanted by the dwarf smith Cromwell, and had presented it to Anomen as a surprise earlier that day. "It was already extremely well-balanced, and the ilithium coating seems to have added no weight all." He covered Ephraela's hand with own and gave her a loving smile, "It is a far more generous gift than I deserve, and I hope my lady knows how grateful I am."

The lady in question chuckled, "Considering you've thanked me at least ten times already, I think I can safely say that I know you appreciate it." She shook her head, "I suppose I should consider it an improvement that you're no longer fretting about using the ilithium for the mace rather than a sculpture for the temple."

Anomen chuckled apologetically, "I'm trying not to think about that, since it is past mending! But I do still worry that Helm might think it selfish to have done so."

Ephraela snorted, "Helm has always seemed a very _practical_ deity to me. Why would he want the ilithium to be gathering dust in a temple when you could be using it to smite vampires back to the Nine Hells where they belong?"

Anomen sighed, "I hope you are correct, my lady."

"I think there is something to be said for her argument, Anomen," Keldorn said, looking thoughtful. "Although I am no expert on the teachings of Helm, I believe that he shares with Torm a deep hatred for the undead. Such a weapon is a powerful instrument of good; surely Helm would look favorably upon your use of it in his name."

"Thank you both," Anomen said, the relief clear on his face, "that eases my mind considerably."

"Well, now that _that's_ settled," Jaheira put in sardonically, "I believe it is time for me to say goodnight. My bed here may not be the most comfortable I've ever slept in, but it will surely be better than the accommodations aboard ship, and I mean to appreciate it while I can."

After the group bid Jaheira goodnight, Anomen bent close to Ephraela, his beard soft against her cheek, "My lady," he murmured, "perhaps we should consider retiring soon as well. We sail at dawn, after all," he added, his eyes and his smile suggesting that he had more than sleep in mind.

"I'd like that very much, Anomen," she said, returning his smile. Under cover of the table she slid a hand down the length of his thigh; he gave a startled jump in response and turned to her with a beleaguered expression.

"Ephraela," he whispered urgently, "as I have told you before, I would very much appreciate it if you would wait until we have some degree of privacy before doing things of that sort!"

"Oops, sorry, Anomen, I forgot," she answered, favoring him with a wide-eyed look that was not at all contrite.

"Indeed," he replied, giving her a mock glare, "I assure you we will discuss that and…other matters later, when we are alone."

Ephraela excused herself to visit the jacks, and on the way back was stopped by one of the barmaids. "Message for you, my lady, Hendak says it came a short while ago." She pressed a folded parchment in Ephraela's hand and hurried away.

Her heart lurched, what could this be? She prayed it was not some crisis that would keep them in Athkatla and miss their chance to sail to Spellhold.

The message was brief and unsigned; it read:

_I suspect that if you had wanted me dead, I would be. The reverse is true as well. We need to meet. _

Written at the bottom of the message was a location in the slums not far from the Coronet, and a time less than a quarter-glass away.

Ephraela's mind worked furiously; the note must be from Renal Bloodscalp, but why did he want to speak to her? She would have to go…the Shadow Thief leader was dangerous and unpredictable, and she was not at all certain what he would do if she ignored his request for meeting.

She returned to her seat next to Anomen and considered her options; Anomen was far too protective to let her wander around the slums at night alone, he was certain to protest vehemently, especially if he knew who she was meeting. Besides, the prospect of speaking to Bloodscalp alone made her more than a little nervous for a number of reasons.

"Anomen," she said under her breath when she was certain the others were absorbed in their own conversations, "I need to go out. Would you come with me?"

"What?" he asked in surprise. "At this time of night? Surely there is nothing so urgent!"

"I do need to go, and yes, at this time of night," she countered, "but if you don't want to go, I can ask someone else…maybe Minsc, or Yoshimo."

As she had expected this threat alone was sufficient to gain Anomen's acquiescence. By and large he trusted their companions, but he also hated having her safety entrusted to any hands but his own. "Of course I will accompany you, Ephraela. But what is this about?"

"I'll explain on the way." She stood and addressed the others, Anomen following her lead, by habit taking his accustomed spot at her shoulder. "It's getting late, and Anomen wants to take a walk before we go to bed. Don't you, Anomen?"

"Ah, yes, a walk, just the thing," Anomen agreed, although not very convincingly.

This announcement was greeted with a startled silence from the others around the table. Yoshimo arched one eyebrow and said dryly, "I would not have expected the young samurai to be eager for any activity that does not require the privacy of your room." He smiled knowingly, a glint of amusement in his eyes, "But perhaps I've misjudged."

Anomen flushed and glanced at Keldorn; the fact that he spent his nights in Ephraela's room was an open secret among the companions, though still a recent enough development that Anomen worried that the senior knight might disapprove.

Instead, Keldorn nodded in agreement, "A brisk walk after an evening of food and drink is an excellent idea." He glanced up with a bland expression that did not conceal the twinkle in his eyes, "But I know you will excuse me if I do not join you, these old bones need some rest before the journey tomorrow. Do be cautious, however," he continued, his tone serious, "the slums at night aren't entirely safe, even for two as capable as you."

"Of course, sir," Anomen replied.

As soon as the door of the Coronet closed behind them, Anomen turned to Ephraela, arms crossed and face set, "My lady, I agreed to this because I could see that you are determined, but before we proceed further, I insist you tell me what this is about."

Ephraela sighed, "All right, Anomen." She put a hand on his arm and smiled tenderly at him, "I'm not trying to keep anything from you, love, it was just too complicated to explain to everyone. I got a message on the way back from the jacks that someone wanted to meet tonight." She took a deep breath, "Renal Bloodscalp."

Anomen's expression, which had been softening at her conciliatory tone, instantly changed to one of alarm and disbelief. "Renal Bloodscalp?" he repeated incredulously, moderating his tone when he realized that he was drawing the attention of passersby. "That…_thief_? Why in Helm's name would you want to speak to that villain? He is known to be a thief and is almost certainly a murderer as well!" He made an exasperated noise, "Wasn't he killed when we attacked their guild house? How do you even know it was him? He doesn't seem the sort to put his name on a message."

"I'm sure we didn't kill _all_ the Shadow Thieves in Athkatla," she replied dryly, "even though it might have seemed like it at the time. He must have been…away from the guild house. As for how I know it was from him, well, I…saw him on way back to the Coronet earlier." She shrugged, "I didn't mention it because I didn't think it meant anything."

"But…but Ephraela, _why_? Why would he wish to speak to you, and why would you agree? He could be intending to do you harm!"

"I really don't think he is, but that's why I asked you to come with me, Anomen." She smiled at him entreatingly, "He won't dare try anything with you there. And I honestly don't know why he wants to meet, but it won't hurt to find out, right?"

Anomen growled and gathered her into a brief embrace, "So you _say_; I pray you are correct." He pulled away and met her eyes, "I do not like this and I do not understand why you would wish to speak to someone so…vile." He caressed her cheek, "But I _will_ go with you and see you safe, my love."


	2. Chapter 2

_This is one of those stories where, as they say, the tale grew in the telling. I had the story all thought out, and almost written, and then got a better idea. The result is going to be longer (most likely 5 chapters instead of 3) and much darker than originally planned. There will also be a lot more Renal Bloodscalp, which I like since he's so fun to write. _

_Hope you enjoy it._

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

Renal watched them approach from his vantage point on the roof of a building overlooking a blind alley, the designated meeting place. He was a little disappointed—but not surprised—that she had chosen to bring one of her companions with her; though whether it was due to distrust of him or the understandable caution of a woman alone at night he would soon find out. He recognized the man with her, the big Helmite priest—now a knight as well, he understood—that had traveled with her for some time. Not quite as impressive a specimen as another of her companions, the bald Rashemi, but he would certainly be sufficient to dissuade any but the most determined attackers.

"Typical!" the priest exclaimed as they entered the alley, "He lacks even the courtesy to be here at the time he has stipulated."

Renal dropped noiselessly from the rooftop to the alley in front of them, "You wound me, sir knight," he drawled, "I've always been told that my manners are impeccable…for a thief."

The other man gazed at him with undisguised hostility and addressed Ephraela without acknowledging his presence, "My lady, you are determined to go through with this?"

She gave him a brief nod and patted his arm, "It'll be fine, Anomen, why don't you wait there," indicating the mouth of the alley, "we won't be long."

He gave her an appalled look and a short but intense argument ensued, the knight clearly quite unhappy that he was not to be present for their conversation. Renal leaned against a crate and took the opportunity to study the lady, the first he'd had since that remarkable occasion a few weeks previously. By the gods, she was a beauty! A mass of dark hair, creamy skin and a face that would make any man look twice—or thrice. As for the rest of her, well, he had good reason to know that it was every bit as fine.

The argument was winding down, the lady the clear victor, which surprised Renal not at all. He decided a word or two of assurance might not go amiss, "For what it's worth, on my honor no harm will come to the lady by my hands or on my orders."

The priest snorted derisively, "What would you know of honor, _thief_?"

Renal chuckled, "There's one way to find out, _priest_."

"Keep your hands where I can see them," the other man snapped. "I'll be watching you." He marched to the end the alley and took up his post, arms crossed on his chest, glaring fiercely.

Renal turned to Ephraela, "Your friend's not the trusting sort, I gather?"

"He has good reason to be cautious;" she responded evenly, "my…heritage has often made me a target." She met his eyes, "And it did cross my mind that you might be seeking vengeance for the destruction of your guild, but…" she smiled wryly, "I think if you wished me dead you would choose something more subtle than this."

He sketched a bow, "Thank you for that, milady. But that brings me to point of this meeting. Your sweep of the guild house was thorough and bloody, but managed to bypass my usual lair—which, of course, you knew how to find. Seeing how you're leaving Athkatla on the morrow I thought you might indulge my curiosity as to why that was the case."

"Our target was Aran Linvail," Ephraela told him, "and although he made certain that there many bodies between us and him, there was no reason that yours had to be one of them." She looked away, "But I will admit that I was…relieved not to see you among those who died to defend him. I prefer the memory I have of you now to one of you spitted on my blade."

Aran firmly suppressed the surge of excitement that her words caused; there was no reason to jump to conclusions just because the lady was glad he wasn't dead. Best to keep this squarely on a business footing—for now. "I'm pleased to hear that. I have a proposition for you, and if my continued breathing was merely an oversight on your part it would certainly put a pall on any potential relationship."

She gave him a questioning look and he continued, "I know you were acting at behest of those righteous meddlers in the Order when you attacked the guild, but you did me a favor as well. Your raid removed Linvail and all of his potential successors, except…_me_, as it happens. Control of the guild—or what's left of it—is in my hands now, and I mean to keep it there.

"I have been following your activities since last we met with keen interest, and I must say I am quite impressed. And although I understand that you have other priorities at the moment, if you should return to Athkatla, the door is open if you wish occupation as my partner in leading the guild. A _junior_ partner, of course," he added smoothly.

Ephraela stared at him for a moment before asking incredulously, "You…you want _me_ to help you run the Shadow Thieves?" She blinked in astonishment, clearly taken aback by the offer, "Wouldn't they resent that I was responsible for the deaths of so many other guild members?"

Renal chuckled, "Dear lady, how do you think control of a thieves' guild passes from one leader to the next? I assure you it is never a bloodless affair. You are strong, intelligent, and ruthless, qualities that would make you well-suited for the job, if you wish to take it."

The lady was silent for a long moment, when she looked up to meet his eyes, her face was troubled. "Renal, I think you overestimate my…affinity for the activities of a thieves' guild. When I worked with you before I did what was required, but I was honestly relieved when the Order gave us another option to earn our passage. And the things we saw in the guild house…" she shook her head in dismay, "I will not say I was shocked, little truly shocks me now, but…_no_. Murder, extortion, torture…they may seem like routine matters for your business; but please understand—I bear you no ill-will when I say I cannot be a part of that."

Renal blew out a long breath, "A fair answer, and an honest one, milady. I cannot ask for more than that." He shrugged, "We're not all made for vice, any more than for virtue.

"Ephraela," he continued after a moment, "although it seems our business is concluded, that need not affect our personal relationship." He met her eyes, realizing to his chagrin that his palms were sweating and his heart racing. Why was he so nervous about inviting a woman to his bed? The answer came immediately, unwelcome and inescapable; because it was not any woman, but _this_ woman, with the memory of their last encounter still seared in his mind.

Should he tell her how often he'd thought of her, how often he'd woken in a sweat of lust after dreaming of her touch? _No_. That would not do. "This your last night in Athkatla, and my sources tell me you occupy the same room at the Coronet that you did before." He lifted a hand to caress her cheek but then dropped it—the cursed priest would certainly react badly if he touched her. Instead he offered her his most charming smile, and said lightly, "Perhaps…perhaps I could call on you and we could hunt the 'little death' again to see you on your way."

She stilled for a long moment, and then met his eyes with some reluctance, "I am surprised your sources failed to mention that I no longer sleep alone."

Renal chuckled, and prayed that it did not sound as painful as it felt, "Ah. It seems that I failed to inquire on that point. A regrettable—and uncharacteristic—oversight on my part. My apologies." Then, in a flash of insight, his mind went back to the argument he had witnessed between Ephraela and her companion. At the time he had been so absorbed in admiring the lady that he had seen the signs without recognizing them for what they were. But now…a look, a touch…now it couldn't be more obvious.

It took all his willpower not to swear loudly. "The Helmite?" he ground out, his voice pitched low to avoid alerting the object of their discussion.

She flushed, then squared her shoulders and met his eyes, "Yes."

Renal snorted, "I thought he seemed a bit…proprietary."

Ephraela smiled and said mildly, "I think he considers it 'protective', instead."

He shook his head, trying to reconcile this development with the woman who had so boldly invited him to her bed. There was no doubt that the knight's face and physique would be pleasing to most women—Renal had far too much experience with women to discount _that_ as a factor—and of course there was the prestige associated with being both a knight of the Order and the son of one of Athkatla's noble families. But he could not believe that would be a compelling motivation for a woman like Ephraela.

"Isn't all that righteousness…wearying?" he asked, trying to the keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Her eyes flashed, "I think we have more in common than you know. Regardless, please accept that this is what I want."

Renal sighed resignedly, "I will, milady, have no fear on that score." He eyed her shrewdly, "But I can't imagine he'd be pleased to learn that you've lain with a disgusting _thief_, no matter how long ago."

Ephraela paled, "Is that a threat?"

Renal, who had realized too late how his comment might be taken, said urgently, "No! Ephraela, no! Your lover might not believe it, but I have more honor than to try to blackmail a woman into my bed. However, it does make it all the more surprising that I lived through the raid on the guild, it would have been simple enough to see that I took your secret to the grave."

She stared at him in surprise, "I would never—could never—kill someone just to keep a secret. That would be…_despicable_."

Renal chuckled despite himself, "Dear lady, you were right; the Shadow Thieves Guild is not the place for you." He held up a hand, "You've been patient thus far, Ephraela, one more question before you go." He nodded toward the head of the alley where Anomen still paced and fumed, "Why bring him to this meeting? It seems an odd choice; one that will raise more questions than it answers."

"Insisting on going alone or that another accompany me would have raised as many questions," she responded, "besides, I…I mean to tell him. About us."

Renal replied without thinking, murmuring,"Oh, I wouldn't recommend that," and then cursed his own stupidity. If the righteous idiot was a big enough fool to cast her aside because of dalliances before they were even lovers…why in the Nine Hells should he stand in the way? But at Ephraela's quizzical look, he sighed and explained, "For most men, understanding that a woman they desire has been with others is one thing, but knowing all the particulars of it is quite another." He shrugged, "Maybe your knight is different, but I wouldn't wager on it."

She looked thoughtful, "Thank you Renal, I will consider what you have said."

"On that note, dear lady," Renal told her, loudly enough to be heard by her guardian at the end of the alley, "I will wish you a good night and safe journey. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday." He took Ephraela's hand and bent to kiss it; as he expected the priest was beside them looking thunderous before he had a chance to release her hand.

"My lady, if this miscreant has finished pawing you, we should depart," Delryn told her; but besides a brief, wrathful glance directed at the thief, all of his attention was on Ephraela. Renal noted with some approval that despite his distrust of the company and discomfort at the situation, his touch on her arm was gentle and the look he gave her solicitous.

Ephraela smiled at him, her eyes bright, "Anomen, Renal has been a perfect gentleman."

The knight was clearly torn; unwilling to openly contradict her despite his personal opinion of the subject. Finally, he murmured, "You are too gracious, as always, Ephraela."

"On that we may agree, Sir Anomen," Renal said heartily, offering his hand for the other man to clasp. "I wish you a good journey as well."

After a moment's hesitation the dictates of courtesy won out and the knight clasped his hand, muttering, "My thanks, sir," before offering his arm to the lady.

As the pair turned to leave Renal called his guards out of the shadows where they had been waiting, and hid a smirk when he saw the other man's chagrin that he had not noticed their presence earlier. "May I offer you an escort back to the Copper Coronet? These streets can be dangerous at night."

Ephraela gave him a censorious glance before responding, well aware of the game he was playing, "No, thank you, Anomen is quite capable of protecting me." The knight clasped Ephraela's hand and cast one last triumphant look back at Renal before they disappeared down the alley.

"Arrogant pup," Renal commented to no one in particular. He shook his head, "He'd damn well better appreciate what he has."

A voice from behind him rasped, "You want the woman, sir? We can arrange it for you."

He turned to face the man who had spoken, a big brute with a ragged scar across his throat, the relic of a fight he had survived, though his voice had not. What was his name…Luskin? Buskin? No…Ruskin. Good with a blade, Renal recalled, but possessing all the wit and subtlety of a sledgehammer.

Renal stepped closer to the man and eyed him narrowly. "That is most assuredly _not_ your concern, Ruskin," he said coldly. "You are here to keep knives from my back, not to offer suggestions. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Ruskin replied, and Renal turned away after one final contemptuous look. Their ranks were thin after Ephraela's raid, but by the gods, the scum he had to work with!


	3. Chapter 3

_In this chapter, things get a little more...complicated, and Ephraela has to face some unexpected consequences of her actions. _

_EDIT: FYI, the sequence of events described here—that Ephraela's night with Renal Bloodscalp occurred during one of those occasions when Anomen snaps at the PC and refuses to speak with her for a while—actually happened during my game, and helped inspire this story._

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><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

As it happened, Anomen learned very few details of Ephraela's conversation with Renal Bloodscalp. Once she told him that the thief had proposed that she become his partner in leading the Shadow Thieves, Anomen sputtered with outrage all the way back to the Coronet. And after they reached their room they found other, more pleasant ways to occupy themselves than discussing the Shadow Thief.

-ooo-

Ephraela awoke with a start from a dream of something chasing her, but with no clear recollection of who or what it was. Her fear quickly dissipated on finding herself in her room at the Coronet, with Anomen sleeping quietly beside her. She smiled to see him in the moonlight, his thick hair tousled in sleep, in contrast to his usual neat and tidy appearance.

She turned on her side to regard him more fully, and without thinking reached out to touch him. She stopped herself with a sigh, reluctant to wake him without need. Inevitably her thoughts went back to the events of that evening. Renal Bloodscalp's reappearance in her life had caught her off guard; she had never expected him to seek out her company again. He was clearly puzzled by her attachment to Anomen; but how could she explain it to the Shadow Thief when she didn't completely understand it herself?

She just knew that she loved him, despite his temper and his prickliness, in a way she had never loved anyone else. And for all his faults, he loved her devotedly, and his only desire greater than his need to prove himself the good and just man he hoped to be was his wish for her to be safe and happy.

But that made her night with Renal even more difficult to reconcile in her mind and her heart. It had been very pleasant, and she found Renal quite attractive—in a very different way than Anomen was attractive—and the Shadow Thief was a skilled and experienced lover. But her stomach twisted with guilt every time she thought of it; while it was true that she and Anomen were not committed to one another at the time, they were clearly on the path to being more than merely friends. In fact, she had already been more than half in love with him and suspected he felt similarly. But it had been one of those damnable occasions when Anomen had let his pride and self-doubt get the best of him, and had snapped angrily at her sincere response to a question he had posed.

Afterward Anomen had avoided speaking to her for nearly two days, though he later confessed that he had realized he was in the wrong almost immediately and had spent most of that time getting up the nerve to apologize. Only two days, but it was long enough. And as often as she'd told herself that there was no way she could have known for certain that they'd reconcile, in her heart of hearts she knew that she would have never sought out Renal's company if she hadn't been hurt by their quarrel.

Was Renal correct that confessing the affair might damage Anomen's trust and love for her? Was the only alternative to try to forget it ever happened and just live with the guilt? Needing the reassurance of touch, Ephraela reached over and smoothed Anomen's unruly hair, then trailed her hand across his bare shoulder and down one muscular arm. When he sighed and stirred in his sleep she guiltily snatched her hand away, but it was too late. "Ephraela…" he murmured sleepily as he extended an arm to pull her closer. Once she was nestled against his chest, his eyes cracked open and he smiled blissfully, "There you are, my love. You are well?"

"Of course I am, Anomen." Her heart full, she kissed him lightly on the lips, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you—just go back to sleep, love."

"Mmmm," was his only reply, evidently signifying agreement, for she soon heard him breathing deeply and evenly, fast sleep once more.

Ephraela was just about to drift off herself when she heard a curious scraping noise from near the window. It was brief and not repeated, and she had almost decided that she had imagined it when there was the soft but unmistakable sound of a stealthy step on the wooden floorboards. Instantly on the alert, her mind went first to Renal Bloodscalp, and how he had entered this very room at her invitation all those weeks ago. After a moment's consideration she dismissed the possibility that it could be him; whatever else he might be accused of, he was not a stupid man, and clearly had understood that his presence would be unwelcome.

Moving as quietly as possible, Ephraela eased Anomen's arm off her hip where he had draped it when he had embraced her, then used the same hand to cover his mouth. A few gentle nudges with the arm that lay between them had the desired effect; his eyes opened and he quickly stilled when he saw the expression on her face close to his.

They both froze and listened to the men—now it was obvious there was more than one—move about the room. After a few moments the men seemed to pause, and Ephraela leaned close to Anomen to coordinate their efforts in case the men attacked. But before she could do so, she felt Anomen spring into action, his bare feet hitting the floor with a thud.

"Ephraela—the weapons!" he called to her, "I'll hold them off!" She swore loudly as she moved, exasperated by his habit of always putting himself between her and any danger. But his strategy did make sense; he slept on the side closest to the window and their attackers, and she was on the side closest to the door—and the rack where their weapons we stored.

Her eyes were adjusted to the darkness, so she could see well enough from the moonlight streaming in the window. Anomen was facing three men, all in black, hooded and masked, and his naked form stood out in sharp contrast to them. She couldn't help but grin despite the peril; he certainly looked…impressive from this angle.

"Have at me, you cowards! You'll not harm her while I live!" he cried as they advanced.

One of the men, bigger than the rest, gave a rasping laugh, "Who says we want to harm _her_?" He turned to the man nearest to Ephraela's side of the bed and ordered, "Get the woman!"

This brief distraction was enough for Anomen. He had the blanket from their bed wrapped around his left arm as a makeshift shield, and as he approached the men he bent suddenly to grab a boot from the floor and hurl it in the face of the third man. Anomen followed the boot by a brutal punch to the face, and the man went down, his nose streaming blood.

Meanwhile, the man ordered to subdue Ephraela found her crouched low near the far wall. Whether he thought she acted from fear or an attempt to cover her own nakedness she had no way of knowing, but it was clear he did not consider her a threat.

"Oh, aren't you a pretty one!" he cooed. "Don't worry, my sweet, we won't harm a hair on your head. You're coming with us."

She snorted in amusement as she pulled her sword from behind her back where it had been concealed. "Think again, pig," she told him, and saw his eyes widen briefly in shock as she stood and plunged the sword into his gut.

The man Anomen had punched was attempting to rise, so Ephraela finished him before going to Anomen's aid. He was facing the big man, evidently the leader, and was holding his own despite being unarmed against an opponent with a short sword and dagger. Ephraela breathed a sigh of relief to see that Anomen had only superficial wounds and grinned at her approach. "Well done, my lady!" he called, sounding a little breathless.

Their opponent glanced from Anomen to Ephraela, and then to the bloody sword in her hand. Finding the odds not at all to his liking he turned suddenly and bolted for the window. Caught off guard, Ephraela hurled the knife in her left hand, not expecting it to land. To her surprise, there was a yelp of pain from the man when it hit his trailing arm as he disappeared out the window.

She stood dithering for a moment, wanting to follow him but hesitant to do so stark naked. The sounds of fight had finally roused her companions in nearby rooms, and they began boiling through the door in various states of undress. She felt Anomen's hand on her shoulder and she turned to him with a smile, intending to ask if he had seen her robe. But instead of the relief or exhilaration she expected to see, his face was pale and covered with sweat. "Ephraela…" he whispered, leaning against her heavily before crumpling to the floor, unconscious.

"Anomen!" she cried, and knelt next to him, her heart in her throat. What could be wrong? Some of the wounds were still bleeding, but not dangerously so, and there was no evidence of a concussion or other injury that would cause unconsciousness. She cursed her ignorance; as a ranger she was capable of healing minor injuries, but for serious matters she always deferred to Jaheira…or Anomen. Feeling panic rise in her chest, Ephraela forced herself to breathe evenly before turning to the crowd surrounding her and saying, "Someone find Jaheira, quickly!"

Jaheira pushed past the others and laid a hand on Ephraela's shoulder, "I'm here, child." She knelt next to her and began examining the fallen knight.

"What's wrong with him, Jaheira?" Ephraela asked anxiously. "None of the wounds look serious!"

"I'll need a few minutes," Jaheira told her calmly, "and some room to work. Go on, talk to the others."

Knowing dismissal when she heard it, she stood and found that her robe had been draped around her shoulders, only dimly remembering that Keldorn had done so. She put her arms through the sleeves and belted it closed without thinking before turning to face her friends' questions.

Yoshimo, dressed only in his breeches, nudged one of the dead men with his foot, "Was this all of them, Ephraela?"

"Oh, no, how could I have forgotten!" Ephraela exclaimed. "There was another, he went out the window. He had a knife in his arm, so there might be a blood trail."

Yoshimo nodded and without another word he was through the window, his bare feet silent on the cobbles outside.

Minsc and Keldorn waited nearby and typically, the paladin had taken the time to don breeches and a tunic before responding to the emergency. Minsc was much more memorably clad in his smallclothes, boots and swordbelt, with Boo clinging precariously to one bare shoulder.

"My friend," Minsc exclaimed, "are there butts that need kicking? Minsc and Boo are ready to help!"

She smiled and patted his arm, "I can see that you are, Minsc, thank you. "

Keldorn slid an arm around Ephraela's shoulder, "Thank Torm you are uninjured, my dear." He nodded toward Jaheira, still kneeling next to Anomen, "Does she know…"

Ephraela shook her head, "Too early to tell."

Keldorn sighed and shook his head thoughtfully, "I don't understand why the Shadow Thieves would wait until now to seek revenge; I would have expected this soon after our assault on their guild house, or not at all."

She suddenly found it hard to breathe, "Shadow Thieves?" Ephraela repeated in a whisper.

He stared at her in surprise, "I don't know for certain, but this surely has all the signs of their handiwork." Keldorn left Ephraela's side, knelt down next to one of the dead men, and pulled up the man's sleeve to reveal a large tattoo of Mask on his upper arm.

Abruptly, Ephraela's legs felt too weak to support her and she fell gracelessly into a nearby chair. She closed her eyes, wishing to deny what her heart told her must be true. Of course—how had she not seen it before? It was surely no coincidence that this happened so soon after her conversation with Renal Bloodscalp.

"Are you well, Ephraela?" Keldorn asked worriedly.

"Keldorn, I…I think it happened now because last night I met with Renal Bloodscalp, at his request." She reddened, "I'm sorry I wasn't truthful with you when I said we were going for a walk."

Keldorn waved a hand dismissively, "That doesn't matter now. What did the villain want from you?" he asked, his voice hard.

"He has taken over control of the Shadow Thieves now that Aran Linvail is gone," she explained, "and he asked me to be his partner in running the guild. I said 'no', of course, and he seemed to accept my decision, but…" Ephraela simply could not bring herself to explain to Keldorn what _else_ Bloodscalp had asked of her, and more importantly, that the attackers were trying to take her alive.

"_Seemed_," Keldorn repeated contemptuously, "but then there was this," he gestured toward the bodies on the floor. "So we see how well took your refusal."

At that moment Yoshimo climbed back through the open window and tossed her dagger onto a nearby table, shaking his head regretfully, "I am sorry, Ephraela, but he bound his wound and escaped over the rooftops. I lost the trail."

She met his eyes, and indicated the dead men, "Yoshimo, Keldorn thinks these two were Shadow Thieves…do you agree?"

After a brief hesitation, he gave a bare nod, "Yes. At least one I know for certain is—or was."

She turned to Minsc and smiled grimly, "It looks like we'll have some butt-kicking for you to do after all, Minsc."

The ranger's reply went unspoken when Jaheira called to Ephraela, a note in her voice that made her blood run cold, "Ephraela, you need to see this."

As soon as Ephraela joined her, Jaheira pointed to a mark on the inside of Anomen's left arm, just above the elbow. It was bright red and about the width of two fingers. "This has to the source of the problem, there is nothing else."

"I…I didn't see that! How could I not see that?" Ephraela exclaimed, berating herself for inattention.

"It was tiny when you examined him; it's grown in just the few minutes I've been with him. It must be poison of some kind; there's a very small knife wound underneath the inflammation."

"Well, try a poison remedy then, Jaheira, I have one memorized if you don't!" the younger woman told her impatiently.

"Ephraela, I _have_! That was the first thing I tried." Jaheira said, her face drawn, "The inflamed area shrank a little, but did not disappear as you'd expect with a poison. I'm…I'm afraid the redness will begin spreading again, and soon."

"Oh, gods! Jaheira, what can we do?" Ephraela asked, fear rising up like a choking cloud.

"He needs to go to the Temple of Helm," the druid told her firmly. "They may know more of this…whatever it is, and even if they don't there will be more hands to help keep the effects at bay."

"Right, the Temple," Ephraela repeated. She stood, relieved to have a direction and purpose to channel her fear. "Yoshimo, I need you to run ahead to the temple and let them know we're coming."

He smiled and nodded, a little of his natural cheer returning, "Fleet of foot and all that."

She put a hand on Minsc's arm and squeezed it fondly, "Minsc, I suspect there will be work for your sword before this is over, but right now, I need to know…can you carry Anomen all the way to the Temple of Helm in the Temple district? We could find a horse and cart, but that would take so much longer…"

Minsc's eyes shone as he moved toward Anomen, "Of course, Ephraela, Minsc is proud to help!"

"Hold there, Minsc," Yoshimo chuckled and put a restraining hand on the ranger's arm, "even mighty warriors such as we need to gird ourselves before the day's battles! Come with me, we will dress quickly."

Meanwhile, Keldorn had found a pair of Anomen's breeches and moved to put them on the unconscious knight with Jaheira's help. "Is that really necessary?" Ephraela asked.

Keldorn looked up and smiled at her sympathetically, "I'm afraid young Anomen would be mortified to learn when he wakes up that he was carried through the streets of Athkatla wearing only what the gods gave him. It will take just a moment."

It did, and after he was finished he stood and addressed Ephraela, "Is there anything else I can do to help, Ephraela? You know Anomen will have my prayers and those of the entire Order."

She had been considering that very question, and nodded to the paladin, "I understand that you couldn't say so before now, but I presume you know Aster or at least have a way to find her."

Keldorn's face set; he hadn't entirely approved of the way 'Aster', the contact from the Order of the Radiant Heart that had arranged their passage, had treated Ephraela and her companions. "I'm not well acquainted with her, but yes, I can contact her if necessary."

"Dawn is not far away and the ship will be ready to sail," she met Keldorn's eyes, her face bleak, "I need you to ask her to delay our voyage for a few days."

Keldorn sighed heavily, "You've waited so long for this, is there no other way?"

"I cannot—will not—leave without Anomen, or at least not without _knowing_…" She paused to compose herself and then continued, "If it takes gold to convince the captain to wait, so be it, whatever we have, we'll use."

"Under the circumstances, I will…strongly suggest that the Order assist in that regard as well," Keldorn said grimly. He squeezed Ephraela's hand, "I will see to it, my dear."

Minsc and Yoshimo soon appeared, dressed and ready for their assignments. Yoshimo and Keldorn set off immediately for their respective destinations, while Jaheira and Ephraela carefully draped Anomen over Minsc's shoulder, his injured arm splinted to protect it from further damage.

Just as they were setting off for the temple, Hendak arrived, shaking his head in dismay. He clasped Ephraela's hand, "That this would happen in my inn, to my guests, and to you of all people! It shames me, my friend."

She rubbed her temples, suddenly weary, "It's not your fault, Hendak."

"I will move your belongings to a different room and get rid of this…offal," he told her, nudging one body with his foot. "It is the least I can do."

An idea had begun forming in Ephraela's mind, so she put out a hand to stay him, "Yes, move our things, we may be here a while longer. But don't…don't dispose of the bodies just yet. I think I may have need of them to send a message."


	4. Chapter 4

_Lots of Renal this time—it was a very fun chapter to write!_

_I don't give my chapters titles as a rule, but if I did, this one would be called: "In Which the Shadowmaster has a Very Bad Day."_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Ephaela and Jaheira sat across the desk from Master Healer Bennis, waiting for him to speak. He was a kindly man, but slow and deliberate in both words and actions, and Ephraela tried not to fidget as he shuffled through the parchments on his desk for the third time. They had been at the temple for several hours and it seemed that Bennis was finally ready to update them on Anomen's condition.

Finally, she could stand it no longer, "Master Bennis, how is he, how is Anomen?"

For a moment he seemed startled at her abruptness, but then replied placidly, "Presently, Watcher Anomen is still unconscious, but resting comfortably and not in too much pain, as far as we can determine." He met her eyes over the top of his spectacles, "But I am sorry to report that his prognosis is uncertain. Yes, highly uncertain," he repeated, nodding gravely.

"How is it 'uncertain', sir?" Jaheira asked, clearly a little impatient as well. "Were you able to neutralize the poison?"

His face fell, "Alas, no. As you yourself found, my lady, none of the standard treatments for poison was able to remove it entirely. On a more positive note, however, we did find that casting Restoration is more effective in slowing its advance than other types of potions or spells."

Ephraela felt her stomach clench; 'slowing its advance' was not the news she had been hoping for.

"We have also made some progress," Bennis went on, "in identifying the substance that has caused his affliction. We believe it to be a Maztican poison identified by our brothers at the outpost on that continent; both the symptoms that we have observed and its unique resistance to standard poison treatments are strikingly similar to what they reported. Evidently there is a specific antidote to this poison, but it was not described in sufficient detail for us to recreate it, perhaps because it was erroneously believed that we would never have need for it here in Faerûn."

Ephraela and Jaheira exchanged a dismayed glance, "What…what can you do without the antidote? And what will happen to Anomen if he doesn't get it?" Ephraela asked, clutching Jaheira's hand for comfort.

Bennis sighed, "By all reports this poison is exceedingly long-lasting and persistent, and our treatments have only slowed its spread, not stopped it entirely. Although Watcher Anomen has little pain at the moment, that will change as it advances through his body. If the antidote or the formula for it cannot be found, amputation while the poison is still restricted to his arm may be the only choice to save his life."

Ephraela stared at him in horror, "No! There has to be another way!"

"Do not despair, my lady. We will continue to search our archives for information on this poison, and have already sent couriers to other temples to ask them to do likewise. A decision need not be made immediately; we will continue treatment, which will give us a few days before a crisis point is reached." He met her eyes with an intent look that belied his initial impression as vague and forgetful. "Remember, too, that someone brought this vile substance here to Amn, and they would have been foolish indeed to have done so without having the antidote on hand as well. Find the person who did this and Anomen may yet survive this ordeal well and whole."

-ooo-

A hand touched Renal's shoulder gingerly, and a nervous voice whispered, "Sir, I am sorry to disturb you, but there is a matter that requires your attention."

Renal rolled over and opened bleary eyes; not an early riser by preference, he had a glass or two more of wine than might be considered wise the night before and was not at all pleased to be wakened. "This had better be important, Welton," he said calmly, though the look in his eyes caused his aide to take an anxious step back. Renal took the robe that Welton offered him and levered himself up from the bed.

"Well, what is it?" he snapped as Welton followed him out of the bedchamber into the sitting room beyond.

"It seems sir," a familiar woman's voice answered, "that someone has decided to send you a message in the form of two dead guild members."

"Sime," he said, casting a cynical eye over the slim thief, "I should have known it was you conspiring to ruin my morning." Sime was a capable lieutenant, though perhaps not quite as respectful in tone as a guild leader might like. Renal attributed that to the fact that they had been colleagues and equals far longer than he had been Shadowmaster; he tolerated it because although he would have never admitted it aloud, he rather liked her style.

She chuckled, "I'm afraid another woman deserves credit for that this time, sir. And one I think you know."

"Indeed," he asked coolly, "and who might that be?"

"I'll let Duffin explain, he was the one who first reported the…incident," Sime told him. "I had the bodies brought in as well; I thought you'd want to have a look at them."

He glared at her, "Now I _know_ you're trying to ruin my morning." When she did not respond, he sighed and said, "Very well, lead on."

She led him to a side chamber where Duffin and the two bodies were waiting for him. Duffin was a slight, middle-aged man that Renal knew well; he was one of their best second-story men. Solid, competent, and likely to outlive any number of Shadowmasters since he was as unambitious as he was dependable. At the very least his report was likely to be reliable.

Duffin stood when Renal entered, and nodded respectfully. Renal nodded in reply and said, "Tell me what happened, Duffin," before turning to examine the dead Shadow Thieves.

"Yes, sir. Just after dawn I was on my way back from a job and was on a roof not far from the old guildhouse. As I was passing, up comes a group—four in all—leading a horse that has them two bodies draped over it. They walked up, bold as bold, not caring who seen them, and drops them bodies right on the guildhouse doorstep.

"One of them was a woman, I noticed because she was the kind of woman a man would be noticing, if you know what I mean," he grinned. At Renal's nod, he continued, "Anyway, she stands up straight and says in a loud voice, 'This is a message for the Shadowmaster, and one he would be wise to heed.' Then she takes a message and pins it to one of them dead fellas with a dagger. After that, they all up and leave and I lit out to report in."

Renal arched an eyebrow at Sime, "The message?" Wordlessly, she handed him a folded parchment, slightly stained with blood. It read: _Meet me on neutral ground today, or there will be nowhere in Faerûn you can hide from me. I will be waiting to hear from you. _It was signed with a single initial 'E'.

Something cold and hard appeared in the pit of Renal's stomach. Struggling to keep his voice even, he turned back to Duffin and asked, "What did this woman look like?"

After a moment's consideration the older thief replied, "She was tall and dark-haired, and shapely. But strong-looking as well, if you follow."

"Yes, I do," Renal replied, the cold thing promptly doubling in size. "Was one of those with her a very large man, bald with a tattooed head?"

"Aye, that's right, sir. He was hard to miss, that one," Duffin answered in some surprise.

Renal thought furiously, there could be no doubt it was Ephraela, but _why_? He had been disappointed by the outcome of their meeting the night before, but they had certainly parted on a cordial note. He'd even shaken the cursed priest's hand! What could have happened and why weren't they on their way to Spellhold as planned?

Renal suddenly recalled something Duffin had said and its possible significance, "Duffin, you said there were _four_ altogether, three besides the woman?"

"Yes, sir, that's right," the older man nodded.

"Describe them, please."

"Well, there was two men besides the woman and the big one with the tattoos," Duffin replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully. One was an older man in plate armor—he had some gray hair—and he held himself real straight, I recall. The fourth was a smaller, foreign-looking fellow that I've seen around the docks before, but I can't recollect his name at the moment. In the trade, I think—he had the look."

"No other woman? Nor a younger man with dark hair and a beard? He would have been in plate as well." Renal asked with a sinking heart.

Duffin shook his head, "No, sir, no one like that."

So the druid Jaheira and Ephraela's knight were both absent, a surprising circumstance given how protective of her safety young Delryn had shown himself to be. It had to mean something; if either of those two had been injured or killed it and she thought he was responsible it would certainly explain Ephraela's change in attitude since last night.

He met Sime's eyes and gestured toward the dead Shadow Thieves, who looked only vaguely familiar to him. "Who are these two?" he demanded. "Why are they dressed for night work? Did they have an assignment?"

She shrugged, "Low-level enforcers. Neither has ever shown enough ability to be trusted with anything more demanding. Whatever they were doing last night, it was unauthorized."

"Bring in our agent from the Copper Coronet," he ordered, "that may shed some light on what these fools were up to last night."

"The Coronet?' Sime repeated, clearly puzzled. "Why there?"

Renal sighed, "It's where she was staying. Ephraela."

"Ah," Sime responded, enlightened. "So it _was_ her, I thought it might be, from the description." She sketched a bow, "It will be done, sir."

Sime and Duffin moved to leave, but Sime paused in the doorway, "One more thing, sir, Ruskin never reported in this morning. I think we're going to have to get rid of him, this isn't the first time he's proven unreliable."

Renal recalled his conversation with Ruskin the night before and felt as if he had been dipped in icy water. "No!" he said fiercely, grasping Sime's arm, "You will find him and bring him to me. Whatever it takes, find him and bring him here—_alive_. And see if there's any connection between him and those two," he added, nodding toward the bodies.

"Of course, sir," Sime replied, looking slightly alarmed. She raised an eyebrow and stared at him speculatively, "Why do get the impression that I only know half the story?"

"How astute of you," Renal replied, his eyes hard. "Now go!"

-ooo-

Two hours later Ruskin was lying bound in front of Renal, bloodied and battered but very much alive. He had tried to leave Athkatla through the city gate, evidently unaware that the gate guards were well bribed by the Shadow Thieves and on the lookout for him. Renal had not been idle in the interim; he now knew the general outline of what had transpired the night before in Ephraela's room at the Coronet, and that as a result Delryn was lying in the Temple of Helm, his survival very much in question. To say that the Shadowmaster was unhappy with Ruskin's role in these matters was a marvel of understatement.

"Ruskin," Renal said pleasantly, not at all displeased to see the man flinch at the sound of his voice, "it seems you have been quite a busy fellow since you finished your duties last night. Yes, very busy indeed."

Renal began walking with exquisite slowness around the bound man, who laboriously turned to follow him in an effort not to have his back to the Shadowmaster. "Let us review what this busyness has accomplished, shall we? Last night, about five hours before dawn, you and two others that you recruited for this task, entered the room at the Copper Coronet of Ephraela, well-known adventurer, where she slept with her companion and lover, the knight Anomen Delryn." Renal's voice hardened, "This was done entirely _without_ the knowledge or approval of your superiors in the guild.

"Whether your goal was robbery, murder, or some other purpose is unclear. What _is_ clear is the result; your two compatriots are dead, Anomen Delryn lies poisoned in the Temple of Helm—perhaps fatally—and most unfortunately, Ephraela and the authorities of Athkatla are convinced that _I_ ordered this debacle."

He nudged the man with his foot, "So what do you have to say for yourself, hmm?"

Ruskin was sweating profusely, and looked about wildly before speaking, as if some avenue of escape might miraculously appear, "Sir, we wasn't planning to kill her, I swear! I…I knew you wanted her, so I thought if I brought her to you, you'd be grateful. But…but it all went wrong, they fought…"

"They…fought," Renal repeated incredulously. "Leaving aside for now your monumental presumption in involving yourself in my affairs, what part of 'adventurer' and 'knight' did you fail to comprehend? Of _course_ they fought!" he hissed, his temper finally getting the best of him.

"But sir, we thought we'd get the drop on them…"

"You _thought_?" Renal gave a mirthless chuckle, "Did you also happen to ponder what the result of this…escapade would have been, even if you had been entirely successful? Did you think Ephraela's remaining companions and friends would have blithely gone about their business after finding the knight dead and the woman missing? For that matter, did you contemplate the fact that Delryn is a member in good standing of both the Order of the Radiant Heart and the Church of Helm, two organizations that would welcome _any_ excuse to hang every Shadow Thief in Athkatla?"

The Shadowmaster bent close to Ruskin's face, "Your idiocy has imperiled the entire guild as well as costing me the regard of someone whose opinion I value. For that you deserve death." He stood and removed a small item from a nearby table. "However," he continued, "it may be possible to limit the damage from this disaster."

He met Ruskin's eyes, his expression implacable, and held up a small, highly decorated vial for him to see, "And to start, you will tell me everything you know about _this_."

-ooo-

Renal fell tiredly into the chair behind his desk, scarcely able to believe it was just past midday. His eyes were drawn to the decanter of Tethyrian brandy on the sideboard, but he looked away with a sigh; there was still much to be done and he needed to keep his wits about him.

There was a brisk knock on the door, and Renal straightened in his chair before calling, "Enter."

A rather portly man in an elaborate mage robe strode in and bowed to the Shadowmaster, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Megnor, please approach." As he neared the desk, Renal placed the vial he had shown Ruskin earlier in plain view of the mage. "What I'd like to know is how _this_—which evidently belonged to your former master—came to be in the hands of a guild leg-breaker with barely enough wit to tie his breeches without assistance."

The effect on Megnor was startling. He turned milk-white, his eyes bulging. "By the gods, the Maztican poison!" he exclaimed.

"Is that what it is?" Renal responded blandly, "how interesting. The Helmites are being very closed-mouthed, if indeed they know anything, and Ruskin—the idiot who had it in his possession—has no idea what it is." The mage was glancing in terror from the vial to Renal and back again, as if expecting one of them to attack. The Shadowmaster rolled his eyes, "Oh, for Mask's sake, sit down, Megnor. I'm not planning to use it on you."

The mage cautiously took a seat, still looking uneasy. Renal leaned back in his chair and prompted, "Tell me what you know about it."

The mage took a few deep breaths before answering, "Master Haz liked…collecting things, the more obscure and dangerous, the better. So when he heard a report of a rare poison from Maztica that could not be cured by standard poison treatments, he had to have a sample for himself. So with the permission of the Shadowmaster—Shadowmaster Linvail, that is—he arranged to have it imported. I…I do not know what he planned to do with it, it arrived only shortly before the attack on the guildhouse, and as far as I know it was never used.

"After the attack and Master Haz was killed, his workroom was looted and the cabinet where this and other valuable and dangerous items were stored was broken open. By the time I arrived, the items in it were scattered around the room, and some missing altogether. I noticed that in particular that this was not among the items I collected—the vial is quite distinctive—and I hoped it had been destroyed."

"A vain hope, as it happens," Renal said coldly. "Ruskin says he found it later while scavenging for items that had been overlooked; it was in a corner concealed by some rubble. He recognized the rune for poison on it and decided to keep it, gods help us all."

Megnor blanched, "I…I am sorry, sir, I should not have been so careless."

"No, you shouldn't have," Renal replied, giving him a sharp look, "but as gratifying as it might be to punish you for this, it will not help in the current situation. There's a Helmite knight who was poisoned by this muck and it is not at all in our interest to have him die a slow and agonizing death at the hands of the Shadow Thieves. We are still far too weak to withstand the kind of attention that would bring us." The Shadowmaster leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling pensively.

"Well, sir," the mage offered tentatively, "we do have the antidote…"

Renal's feet hit the floor with a thump. "We _what_?"

"We have the antidote for the Maztican poison. Master Haz was very particular about such things, and arranged to have a sample of the antidote imported with the poison. It was one of the items I found in his room after the attack…"

"Why didn't you tell me this, you fool?"

"But, but sir, you did not _ask_ about the antidote…" Megnor stuttered.

"Go. Get. It," Renal told him through clenched teeth. "Now!"

"Of…of course, sir." He rose and rushed toward the door, then paused to ask, "Would you like me to bring the formula for the antidote, as well?"

One look at Renal's face was all that was required, "I…I will certainly bring the formula," he said hurriedly as the door closed behind him.

Renal put his head in hands. On days like this he had to remind himself that taking control of the guild had seemed like such a _good_ idea at the time.


	5. Chapter 5

_The Truth Comes Out in this chapter, and it goes about as well as Renal expected. I was a little torn when writing this; I am a huge Anomen fan and tend to write him very sympathetically, but I just couldn't imagine him NOT reacting badly when hearing the news about Ephraela's affair with Renal._

_One more chapter after this to tie things up!_

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><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

Shortly after midday Ephraela finally received the message she had been waiting for. A note came from Renal Bloodscalp—surprisingly cordial considering he had sent his thugs to kill Anomen just a few hours earlier—agreeing to meet at a time and place of her choosing. Anomen's condition was worsening, though slowly, and she struggled to put aside her fears long enough to do what needed to be done.

Yoshimo had found a suitable location, a warehouse in the Bridge District that was outside current Shadow Thieves territory and one that he felt could be made secure enough for the meeting. All that was required then was to send a reply to Bloodscalp and wait for the appointed time.

-ooo-

As they entered the building where the meeting was to take place, Keldorn touched her arm and asked urgently, "Are you certain of this, Ephraela? I can have a dozen knights ready within a few hours, and High Watcher Oisig has pledged as many from the temple. We can root this villain out from wherever he is hiding, and bring him to account for what he has done."

"A frontal assault is just too risky, Keldorn," Ephraela told him, her heart in her eyes. "If he goes into hiding it could take days or weeks to find him! It would be different if we had the antidote or some other way to cure Anomen, but so far the Church has turned up nothing useful. We have to determine _now_ whether the Shadow Thieves can help—before we declare war on them and make them even less likely to cooperate."

Keldorn sighed, "I know you are right, Ephraela, but it makes me shake with fury to think that we must treat with them after this vile thing they have done—especially since you graciously honored Bloodscalp's request for a meeting!" He met her eyes, "I fear as well that you are being far too optimistic that he will be able or willing to help."

"Believe me, I know it's a long shot, Keldorn," Ephraela said forlornly, "But it's also Anomen's best hope."

They only had to wait a few minutes until the contingent from the Shadow Thieves guild arrived, Renal Bloodscalp with several black-garbed guards and a portly man in mage robes. To Ephraela's eyes, the Shadowmaster seemed uncharacteristically strained and tired.

But before either party could speak, Minsc darted forward with surprising speed and grabbed Bloodscalp by the shirt front in one massive hand, hauling the surprised man up to meet his eyes. The Shadow Thief guards behind him began to draw their weapons, but Renal held up a hand and called for his men to stand down.

"Tell me, little _thief_," Minsc asked, giving the Shadowmaster a shake for emphasis, "why I should not kill you here and now, you…you sneaking, cowardly, poisoner-of-our-friend?"

"Ah, well, Minsc—it is Minsc, is it not?" Renal began, sounding a little hoarse. "I can think of several excellent reasons, but the ones I believe you would find most personally persuasive are that Ephraela arranged this meeting under truce, and breaking the truce would have unfortunate consequences; and that appearances aside, I am here to help."

Meanwhile, Ephraela had been tugging on Minsc's arm, pleading, "Let him go, please, Minsc! This isn't helping—we're here to talk!"

Minsc turned to his friend, "I will listen to him, Ephraela, for now, since you ask it." He gave Bloodscalp one final shake before releasing him, "But I will be watching you, thief."

"You say you are here to _help_?" Keldorn asked the Shadowmaster incredulously. "I suppose you will also claim that you are not responsible for this despicable and cowardly attack!"

Bloodscalp sighed and shook his head, "No, I cannot claim that, Sir Keldorn, much as I might wish to." He snorted ruefully, "And although I cannot tell you how much it pains me to admit that such a pointless and inept operation was conducted by our guild, they _were_ guild members. My men, and therefore, my responsibility."

He sought Ephraela's eyes before speaking again, "But on my oath it was not done at my behest or with my knowledge—I did _not_ order this attack."

"How can you expect us to believe that?" Keldorn scoffed.

Wordlessly, the Shadowmaster motioned to his men, and two of them left the building to return a short time later, carrying a bound man between them. They dropped the man unceremoniously to the floor between Renal and Ephraela.

"This is Ruskin, my lady, whom I believe you have met before. He is the one who devised and carried out what can only loosely be described as the 'plan' to attack you and Sir Anomen. He was found trying to leave the city early this morning, believing quite rightly that I would not look kindly upon the night's activities. Do you recognize him, my lady?"

"I…I don't know," Ephraela said hesitantly, "he's the right size and build, but he wore a mask and I never saw his face." Her voice hardened, "He spoke, though; he said 'Who says we want to harm _her_?'"

Renal and Ephraela's eyes met and held for a moment, and then Renal looked away, something like shame in his face. He turned to the bound man, "Ruskin has quite a distinctive voice, so this should be enlightening. Speak, dog!" he ordered, with a rough kick to the man's ribs. "Repeat what the lady said!"

Ruskin did so, and although his voice now sounded fearful rather than gloating, it was enough. "That's him," Ephraela said faintly. "But…but it still doesn't make sense," she told him, shaking her head. "Why would he decide to attack us unless you told him to? What would he gain from it?"

Bloodscalp's voice fell so that only she could hear it, whether he was trying to avoid embarrassing himself or her was unclear. "He thought I would be…appreciative of his efforts on my behalf if he did this thing—though by the gods I swear I never gave him reason to believe so! Besides, Ephraela," he continued, his voice low and intense, "if Ruskin had been successful, how could I possibly believe you could feel anything other than loathing for me?"

"I'm supposed to think you would care about that?" Ephraela retorted, though even as she said the words she wasn't sure she believed them. Renal was by no means a good or moral man, but his actions were always rational and by his own lights, honorable. Killing Anomen out of malice or in a misguided effort to force Ephraela to come to him just didn't seem to fit with what she knew of the man.

Renal gave her a sorrowful look but did not press the issue; when he spoke again it was to both Ephraela and her companions. "Of course I _could_ have Ruskin confess to his crimes, but I suspect that you would not believe his assertion that I had no knowledge of it."

Keldorn snorted in wordless agreement.

"So," the Shadowmaster continued, "I propose to give him to you."

"What?" Keldorn and Ephraela exclaimed in unison.

"It is my understanding that the temples have ways of persuading men to speak the truth without resorting to messier and more morally questionable methods. Presuming you care about that sort of thing," Renal added under his breath.

"As a pledge of my sincerity, I invite you to take him and have anyone you like interrogate him—the temples, the constable—entirely at your discretion. You may of course seek any legal remedies for his actions that you think appropriate."

"But sir," Ruskin protested, "they'll hang me!"

"Oh, I think that's quite likely," Renal said pleasantly, "and who could blame them, after all? But I can assure you," he continued, his voice hardening, "that hanging would be quick and painless compared to the death you will find if you stay with the guild."

"But…" Keldorn sputtered, "what are we to _do_ with him?"

"Whatever you like; hang him, put him in prison—I understand there's quite an impressive one in the Government District." Renal smiled tightly, "Of course, if you tire of dealing with him you could always return him to me for…disposal."

Keldorn fell silent, unsure how to respond to Renal's unexpected offer.

"What about the poison?" Ephraela asked anxiously. "Can he help with that?"

"This fool?" Renal said derisively. "No, he used the poison on his blade without knowing what it was."

Ephraela's heart sank, but the Shadowmaster spoke again, "However, _I_ can. I did say that I was here to help, Ephraela," he reminded her, his voice gently chiding. He snapped his fingers and the mage who accompanied him stepped forward and bowed. "You may remember Haz, Aran Linvail's senior mage—this is Megnor, his only surviving apprentice. Megnor is familiar with the history of this poison, how it was imported by Haz and came by chance to be in Ruskin's possession."

Renal smiled, "But more importantly, he has the antidote."

Ephraela's breath came short and she blinked back tears, "He…you have the antidote?"

"Yes," Renal nodded, "and the formula for it as well." Megnor handed the Shadowmaster a vial and a sealed scroll, which he took and then formally addressed the mage, saying, "On your oath, are these items the antidote and formula for the Maztican poison acquired by Haz and subsequently used by Ruskin to poison Sir Anomen?"

"Yes, sir, on my oath they are," the mage said, nodding gravely. "They have not been in my possession continuously, but the seal on the vial is intact and the scroll unaltered."

Ephraela eyed the items Renal was holding hungrily, her heart in her throat. "And…and what is the price for them?" she asked, meeting the Shadowmaster's eyes. "The price for Anomen's life?"

He shook his head, "I believe, my lady, that the cost has already been too high, for both of us. For me, it comes at the price of whatever respect and regard you held for me. For you, it meant another burden of fear and pain added to what you already endure."

Renal stepped forward and held out the vial. When she reached for it, he placed it in her palm and gently wrapped her fingers around it. "I will ask no more." He handed her the scroll as well and stepped back.

She clutched the vial and scroll to her breast, seeking Renal's face once more. "If…if this works and Anomen lives, we are done. Do you understand? _Done_. If he dies, I will be back, and not alone."

He nodded resignedly, "I expected nothing less, my lady."

They left, with Minsc not-so-gently shepherding the bewildered Ruskin.

-ooo-

Anomen woke slowly, disoriented to time and place, his body feeling strangely heavy. The only familiar sensation was that of a warm body pressed against his, and he turned his head to find Ephraela sleeping peacefully next to him. He smiled in delight on seeing her, but even her appearance was odd; instead of being under the blankets with him she was fully clothed and lying on top of the bedclothes. A glance around the room told him immediately they were not in the Copper Coronet, but it took a moment to deduce from the holy symbol on the wall and the fact that his left arm was heavily bandaged that they must be in the healer's ward in Temple of Helm.

He was about to sink back into sleep when the midday sun pouring in the window caught his attention—it should be morning, should it not? Anomen gasped and tried to sit up, only to fall weakly back on the pillows. The ship—they were supposed to have sailed at first light! His movement awakened Ephaela and she opened her eyes to meet his anxious face, "Ephraela, what has happened? The ship was to sail at dawn—please don't tell me we've missed it!"

Ephraela didn't immediately respond to his questions, instead she stared at him for a moment, her face alight, and then caught him in a fierce embrace, exclaiming, "Anomen, you're awake! Oh thank the gods!"

He relaxed into the familiar feel of her arms around him, some of his anxiety draining away, "Ephraela, my love, what happened? How was I injured?" He met her eyes, a tightness in his chest that had nothing to do with his injury, "Was I the reason we're not on the ship to Spellhold?"

"Oh, Anomen, don't worry about that, love. We convinced the captain to delay our departure, though I hate to think how much gold it must have taken to do it. But we couldn't have left without you!" She smiled and touched his cheek, "Do you remember what happened—the attack at the Coronet?"

"Some of it," he told her. "We were fighting in the dark, and…you were naked," he told her with a sheepish smile.

"Trust you to remember that!" she laughed. "You were naked too."

"Was I?" he asked in surprise. "But…how did I injure my arm and why don't I remember it?"

"You were poisoned during the attack, Anomen, and none of the usual treatments worked." She leaned against him and closed her eyes, her face strained, "I was so afraid that we might not be able to save you. We only found the antidote yesterday afternoon."

"Yesterday afternoon?" he asked in astonishment. "When was the attack?"

"The night before last, love," she replied, "you've been unconscious for more than a day."

Anomen fell back on the pillows, trying to digest this unexpected development.

"Master Healer Bennis says you'll be strong enough to travel in a few days," Ephraela told him with a warm smile, "so we won't have to wait too long before we'll be on our way again."

Anomen took her hand, "I know how eager you are to reach Imoen, Ephraela, so I hate to be the cause of any delay. But thank you for waiting for me, my love." He pulled her into his arms and they lay together for a time, content in each other's company.

Presently, he asked, "I don't believe you mentioned who was responsible for the attack, Ephraela. Do you know which of your enemies it was this time?"

He felt her stiffen in his arms, "They…they were Shadow Thieves, Anomen," she said so quietly that at first he was uncertain he had heard her correctly.

"Shadow Thieves?" he echoed in surprise. "Why would they…" Anomen swore suddenly, "It was that cur Renal Bloodscalp, wasn't it? Feh, I knew he was untrustworthy despite all his false courtesy!"

"Um, no, it wasn't him," she told him hurriedly. "Well it was his _men_, but he didn't order the attack."

"Ephraela, you can't possibly believe that!" Anomen sputtered.

"He's been…very helpful," she told him, looking away. "He found the man responsible and turned him over to the authorities, and he even gave us the antidote for the poison."

"Why would Shadow Thieves attack us with a deadly poison without his orders?" he asked skeptically. "That was no robbery, they meant to kill you!"

She pulled away from him, her body tense and her face drawn, "Anomen," she said lightly, "you must ravenous after being unconscious for so long. Should I ask them to send in a meal for you?"

He gazed at her in astonishment; it was not at all like her to be so evasive. "I am hungry, but it can wait—it is clear that something is troubling you." He clasped her hand in his, "Please, my love, tell me what is the matter?"

She was silent for a long moment and then finally met his eyes, "They were not trying to kill me, Anomen, they were trying to kill _you_. You…you must not remember, but they said they were trying to take me—to abduct me, and the man that survived admitted it."

"What?" Anomen gasped. "Were they in league with the fiend Irenicus? Was he trying to capture you again?"

"No," she said softly, "it wasn't Irenicus. Although Renal didn't order it, they tried to abduct me because they thought he…wanted me."

"Bloodscalp wanted you? For what?" Anomen asked, feeling more confused by the moment. "It's not as if he could _force_ you to take the position in the Shadow Thieves that he offered you."

Ephraela stood and began pacing the room, reluctance visible in every line of her body. "I…I didn't tell you this before because I knew it would upset you, but a position in the Shadow Thieves wasn't the only thing he…offered me when we met."

Anomen sat in stunned silence for a heartbeat when the implication of her words became clear to him. "That base dog was _lusting_ after you?" He fell against the pillows too outraged to speak for a moment. "I am such a fool—by Helm I should have seen it!" He looked up to see her gazing out the window, her face shadowed.

"Ephraela, my love," he continued, his voice breaking, "can you forgive me for failing you? But…why didn't you _tell_ me?" he pleaded. "You know I would have killed the swine on the spot!"

Anomen saw her shoulders shake, and he heard a choked sob, "Oh gods, Anomen, please don't blame yourself—it only makes it so much worse."

Fear twisted in Anomen's gut; there was obviously something more upsetting Ephraela that having been propositioned by Shadow Thief leader, vile though that was. "My lady, what is it? Did he…did he try to force you? By Helm, please don't tell me he _did_…" Determined to go to her, Anomen threw the bedclothes back, but when he tried to stand a wave of dizziness swept over him and he fell against the bed.

Ephraela hurried to his side, exclaiming, "Anomen, don't do that, you're too weak yet!" She helped him settle back into bed and then perched on the edge of the bed within arm's reach.

She took a deep breath and met her lover's eyes, her face bleak, having clearly come to some resolution. "No, Anomen," she said quietly, "he didn't force me, nor did he try."

"But…" Anomen began.

"I…I need to tell you something, Anomen. I considered telling you earlier, but I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. But now, after all that's happened, I think you deserve to know." She reached for his hand and he cradled hers in silent support.

"Anomen, I think you know that the first time we were…together was not the first time for me."

He looked briefly puzzled, and then smiled reassuringly, "Well, yes, I could tell it was not, but that has never bothered me overmuch. Given the life of adventure you led before coming to Athkatla, it is hardly surprising you have experienced more than some sheltered maid."

She closed her eyes for a moment, as if praying for strength. When she spoke, it was in a whisper, "Anomen, not all of the times I've been with another man were before we came to Athkatla. Some were…after that, but before you and I…"

A huge weight settled on Anomen's chest and he struggled to speak, to find some way to deny what she was suggesting. "Ephraela, you can't possibly mean…"

Ephraela sighed, "Yes, Renal had a reason to believe that I might be…receptive to his offer."

Anomen shook his head vigorously, "No, no, I refuse to believe that you would have willingly lain with that honorless dog, that thief and assassin!"

Her silence was all the answer he needed, "Oh gods, Ephraela," he cried, tears starting in his eyes, "I would have trusted your honor as much as—nay, _more_ than my own! Why?" he asked, his voice anguished. "Why would you have done this?"

"Anomen, it was a mistake, I know that now," she told him, her voice breaking. "At the time, I…I suppose I needed something…someone, I was so hurt when you turned me away…"

"Turned you away? What do you mean?"

"It was that time right before your trial when you got angry with me and didn't speak to me for two days," she explained.

Anomen grimaced, "I was in the wrong in that case; I've acknowledged it already and asked for your forgiveness. But are you suggesting that _I_ am somehow to blame for your actions?" he asked, his voice rising in agitation.

"No, of course not, Anomen! It was my choice, and one I regret, but you wanted to know why…"

Anomen put his head in his hands, "Ephraela," he said heavily, "I remember that time well. Although I had not yet spoken of my feelings for you, I…I _thought_ you had begun to care for me; I already cared deeply for you though I did not always show it as I should have."

"Oh, Anomen, I did care for you then, I was just so hurt…"

"I _trusted_ you, Ephraela, and I have always believed you would be faithful to me," he met her eyes, his face bleak. "But this makes me wonder…if that made you seek the company of another man so quickly…so _casually_, could it not happen again?"

"No, love, of course not! It's…it's different now that we're together. I…I _wouldn't_—you know that!"

"Do I?" he asked bitterly. "But that scum Bloodscalp assumed you would betray me, and his men clearly thought you would be eager to jump into his bed if I was out of the picture!"

"Renal isn't to blame for this, Anomen. He didn't know we were together, and he tried to make things right once he realized that his men were responsible for the attack," Ephraela told him pleadingly, tears starting from her eyes.

Anomen gazed at her in silence for a moment, then shook his head, "Still you defend that dog, what I am to make of _that_?" He turned away and closed his eyes, "I…I wish to be alone, Ephraela, I need time to think. Please leave me."

"Oh Anomen, please don't be this way!" When he didn't reply, she let out a pained sigh, "All right, I'll leave you alone." She laid her hand on his arm briefly and said, "Please remember that I love you, Anomen, and I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'll…I'll tell the healers you're awake and ask them to send up something for you to eat."

"As you wish," he answered woodenly, and door closed softly behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

_This is it—the last chapter—hope you all enjoy it! Not surprisingly, Renal gets the last word :-)_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

During the next few hours Anomen's mood alternated between raging fury and numb misery. The meal Ephraela requested was delivered shortly, but provided little distraction for him. He was indeed very hungry and knew he should eat to regain his strength, but he felt far too wretched to find any enjoyment in it. He ate what little he could manage to force down and left the rest.

Master Healer Bennis also paid him a visit, which Anomen found to be a trial since he had to at least pretend to happy with the news that they expected him to make a complete recovery. But Anomen wasn't certain that the Master Healer even noticed his lack of enthusiasm, being so pleased himself with the fact that the Athkatla temple could claim credit for identifying the antidote to the mysterious Maztican poison. Anomen noted cynically that he thought it unlikely that the Shadow Thieves' role in the 'discovery' would be mentioned in any official documents.

Anomen spent a little time practicing standing and trying to walk; after a few unsuccessful attempts he was finally able to make his way to chair near the window where he sat, gazing mournfully out over the Temple District below. As he gathered his strength for the arduous return trip to the bed he wondered—not for the first time—whether it might have been better if the poison had claimed him, and then chastised himself for the thought. Helm would certainly not approve of one his faithful yielding to despair over…well, _disappointment_ in the actions of his beloved.

For that was what it was, he acknowledged to himself with some chagrin. Ephraela's actions could not truly be called a betrayal—although it _felt_ like one—since they had not been committed to one another at the time. But the fact that they had been fumbling toward love, however clumsily on his part, made it all the more hurtful. Of course, the man in question certainly didn't help matters either; as much as Anomen hated to think of Ephaela with any other man, he simply could not comprehend why she would wish to be intimate with such a vile, unprincipled person.

Anomen levered himself up from the chair and made his way slowly back to the bed, climbing back under the covers with his mind in turmoil. If only there was a clearly moral, 'correct' path for him to take…but if there was one, he could not see it! It was agonizing to even think of Ephraela with the Shadow Thief; could he promise to honor and cherish a woman who had done such a thing? He had pledged himself to her and her cause, was 'disappointment' reason enough to withdraw that pledge? Yet he knew he loved her still; even the few hours he had been parted from her since their quarrel seemed unbearable. When he envisioned the rest of his life without her it was bleak; loveless and purposeless, surely there must be a better choice!

In the end he knew it came down to trust; could he trust her to love him and be faithful to him despite this ill-considered action, or was it proof that she never truly loved him as he loved her? With that question still unanswered Anomen finally fell asleep from exhaustion, just as confused and heartsick as he had been hours earlier when Ephraela had first confessed to the affair.

He awoke some time later to a darkening room; his eyes were drawn to the window and the last rays of the setting sun that were streaming through it. Anomen gasped in surprise to see someone standing by the window; at first he thought it was Ephraela, but he knew her silhouette well and this looked to be a man, not a woman.

Anomen was proven correct; before he could speak a man's voice drawled, "So you turned her away, did you? Can't say I'm surprised, though I did warn her it might happen. It just shows that too much honesty can be a dangerous thing."

A familiar man's voice; a _hated_ man's voice. _Bloodscalp_. "You! You would _dare_ come here? I ought to…"

"Ought to _what_?" the Shadow Thief asked archly, "Dash over here and smite me? Call for assistance? I assure you I can be out the window and gone long before anyone could reach me."

Even though his room was on the second floor and his window overlooked a sheer drop, Anomen had no doubt that Bloodscalp was correct. So instead he asked scornfully, "What do you want, thief? Have you come to finish what you started?"

The other man snorted in amusement, "If I killed everyone that annoyed me, the streets of Athkatla would be far less crowded than they are at present."

"Perhaps so," Anomen replied mockingly, "but those other deaths would not win you the woman that you desire."

"Why does everyone persist in the belief that killing you will send the lady into my bed?" Renal asked, sounding aggrieved. "Would that it was so, but last we spoke she was quite definite on the point that she would find me and kill me if you died."

Anomen couldn't suppress a thrill of satisfaction at the Shadow Thief's words; had Ephraela really done that?

Bloodscalp must have guessed what Anomen was thinking, for he said, "Yes, an admirable woman, your Ephraela. But then, I suppose that doesn't matter to you anymore," he added with a hard edge to his voice, "since she has sullied herself by associating with me."

"What?" Anomen bristled reflexively, "I have never said such a thing about her, and I'll thank you not to do so either!"

"Really?" Bloodscalp asked, sounding skeptical. "You didn't send her away? It seems odd that she's not here, then, given that she has scarcely left your bedside since your injury."

"My relationship with Ephraela is none of your concern, Bloodscalp," Anomen retorted angrily.

The Shadow Thief continued speaking, paying no heed to Anomen's reply. "But if it's not that she's no longer _pure_ enough for you, it must be that you yourself have never made a mistake or exercised poor judgment, so it cannot be tolerated in the one you love," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

Anomen knew all too well that Renal was trying to bait him, but couldn't resist replying haughtily, "I have never felt or implied anything of the sort."

"So it's simply a matter of pride, then? At least that's something I understand, I have my pride as well. For instance, I like to think no woman has left my bed unsatisfied—Ephraela certainly didn't," Renal added smugly.

Only the fear that he might fall and humiliate himself in front of the Shadow Thief prevented Anomen from leaving his bed to attack Bloodscalp. "You loathsome swine!" he sputtered. "How dare you speak of her that way! I should kill you where you stand!"

Renal let out a low chuckle, but to Anomen's surprise it sounded a little rueful, "Ah, but mark the sequel, priest. When I stood before her with the antidote in hand that would save your life, she asked me what the price would be for it. I could see in her eyes then that if I had set the price to be another night in my company, she would have agreed."

"You…you…" Anomen began, searching for the words to adequately express his contempt.

But Renal continued speaking, a regretful tone in his voice that Anomen had not heard before. "Yes, she would have agreed; hating every moment and hating _me_ for forcing her to betray you. Yet she would have done it, to save your life—because she loves you."

He snorted in dry amusement, "Do you have any idea how galling that is? Think on _that_ before you let your wounded pride lead you into actions you'll regret later, Helmite."

With that, the Shadow Thief leader disappeared out the window as silently as he had entered. Anomen sighed heavily, lay back on the pillows, and was soon lost in thought.

-ooo-

Some time later, Anomen's door opened and Ephraela leaned in to give him an anxious smile. "Anomen, the healers wanted to know if you need anything before going to sleep for the night, and I told them I'd ask. I think that they're a bit worried that you ate so little today."

Anomen's heart began beating fast on seeing her, and he clutched the bedclothes, his mind filled with uncertainty. "I _am_ rather hungry," he replied, "but it can wait until morning." He smiled a little tentatively at her, "I promise to eat more tomorrow."

Her smile widened, "I'm glad to hear that, you need to get your strength back." There was an awkward silence and Ephraela sighed, her eyes sad, "If you don't need anything else, then…sleep well, Anomen."

"Ephraela…stay," he said urgently, barely able to get he words past the lump in his throat.

Hope blossomed on her face but it was quickly suppressed, "Are…are you sure?"

"Yes, my lady, I am sure. Would you sit with me, and talk?"

"Of course, Anomen!" she said, beaming. She hurried to sit in the chair next to the bed.

"I have been thinking," Anomen began, and then chuckled ruefully. "By Helm, I've done naught _but_ think!"

She waited for him to continue, her face tense and expectant.

"That…that time you spoke of, before my trial; as I said I remember it well. My actions were deplorable and it shames me to think of it."

"Anomen, lo… Anomen, I understand that, I forgave you for it long ago," Ephraela told him, unconsciously leaning on the bed to be closer to him.

"I know, and that is to your credit. I…I mention it because when you did, I vowed to myself to stop letting misplaced pride and self-doubt govern my actions and hurt you as a result." He sighed deeply, "It seems that I have not learned that lesson as well as I'd hoped."

"But Anomen, this time is different, you had good reason to be hurt by what I did!"

"Perhaps so," Anomen said thoughtfully. "In truth, thinking of you with that man still makes my blood boil." One of her hands was resting on the bed; he reached over and covered it with his own, "But despite that, you are still my beautiful, beloved Ephraela, who has brought unimaginable joy into my life." He smiled at her tenderly, "My most fervent wish is to put this unhappiness behind us and find a way to move on…together. That is," he added hurriedly, "if you're willing."

Her response was unambiguous; she launched herself into his arms with even greater force than when he first awoke. "Oh, Anomen," she exclaimed in a voice choked with emotion, "of course I'm willing!"

As Anomen folded Ephraela in his arms, a profound feeling of happiness and contentment washed over him. But then he heard something he didn't anticipate; Ephraela was weeping. He pulled away just enough so he could see her face. "My love, what is the matter?" he asked anxiously.

"Oh, nothing's wrong, Anomen, I'm just so relieved! It seems like I've been constantly afraid for the last two days…afraid that we wouldn't find the antidote and you'd die, afraid of what you'd think when I told you about—" She gulped and gave him a rueful smile, "Afraid that you wouldn't forgive me. I'm so glad it's over."

Anomen drew her close again, "I'm sorry that I caused you such distress, my love."

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Anomen!" she said fiercely, wiping away her tears. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't been so stupid and reckless."

He caressed her cheek and smiled; his tone gentle, "Perhaps that is why it was so difficult for me to accept that you had done such a thing. I'm accustomed to being the one whose judgment is sometimes…suspect, so it was hard for me to believe you capable of poor decisions as well." He chuckled, "Of course, of late, I've had your good influence to steady me and temper my tendency to act out of anger."

She grinned at him, "It just goes to show, then, that we're both better—and wiser—together than we are apart."

"You'll get no argument from me on that point!" Anomen laughed. "Which reminds me, I can't remember the last time I've spent this much time abed, but what feels most strange to me is sleeping alone." He met her eyes with a wry smile, "I've grown used to having you with me, and I miss it most acutely when you are not. Would you stay the night, my love?"

"Oh Anomen!" Ephraela cried, feigning shock, "Aren't you afraid we'll scandalize your superiors here at the temple if I do that?"

"I'll risk it," Anomen told her with an amorous gleam in his eyes. "My only regret is that I'm not quite strong enough yet to _truly_ scandalize them. But perhaps it would be…prudent if the remainder of my recovery were done at the Coronet."

Ephraela pulled him down next to her on the bed and kissed him avidly, "I'm certainly looking forward to _that_."

Later that night Jaheira came looking for Ephaela, concerned that she had not returned to the room they had been assigned. Earlier that day the druid had been mystified by the rift between the lovers, and had questioned Ephraela until she tearfully confessed the reason for Anomen's anger. Jaheira considered her actions to have been extremely foolhardy and dangerous, but Ephraela was already so distraught that she didn't have the heart to chastise her.

Jaheira opened the door to Anomen's room and found Ephraela, blissfully asleep and wrapped in Anomen's arms. "It's about time!" she said tartly as she closed the door softly behind her, but there was a smile on her face as she headed down the corridor toward her room.

-ooo-

Dawn a few days later found Renal Bloodscalp, Shadowmaster, up and about—uncharacteristically early—in a secluded location on the docks overlooking a particular ship that was being readied for departure.

He turned to the woman standing next to him, herself dressed for travel with a bulging pack at her feet. "Sime, I must admit I am impressed—and curious—how did you convince a paladin of Lathander that you were the best person to safeguard Ephraela and her companions on their journey?

Sime smiled enigmatically, "With all due respect, sir, a girl has her secrets."

Renal arched an eyebrow at her and said dryly, "Some more than others, apparently." When no more information was forthcoming, he snorted in amusement and said, "Very well, keep your secrets. I am…grateful that you were able to do so." His eyes scanned the ship in the distance, "I know little of the captain, this Havarian; but what I do know, I don't like and certainly don't trust. Keep an eye on him, Sime. And make certain he keeps his mouth shut on the fact that it was partly Shadow Thieves gold that persuaded him to delay his departure. There's no reason for Ephraela to learn of our involvement."

The Shadow Thief nodded, "I'll see to it, sir."

A cart drew up to the dock with Ephraela, her companions and their gear for the journey. As he watched, Ephraela jumped down from the cart and turned to supervise the others.

"Time to go, Sime," he told her as she shouldered her pack. "And much as I would like Ephraela to survive this journey, do try to return yourself, my girl. Shadow Thieves of your…ingenuity are in short supply in Athkatla these days."

Sime looked startled for a moment, and then grinned in reply, "I'll do my best, Renal."

He shook his head at her familiarity, but smiled to himself as she walked away to join her fellow travelers.

Down at the ship Ephraela and her knight started up the gangplank with their other companions close behind. Delryn was apparently not completely recovered from his ordeal, for when the ship rolled unexpectedly he lost his footing and was only saved from a fall by Ephraela's grip on his arm. His look of alarm swiftly changed to laughter when he found himself secure in her embrace.

Renal sighed; she was a fine-looking woman and he had hoped he might persuade her to be his lover as well as his partner, but had managed neither. Fortunately, he was enough of a pragmatist to take such disappointments in stride. There would doubtless be other women in his future, some just as lovely but perhaps not quite as principled as this one.

The dockhands cast off the lines and Renal turned away; in the meantime, he had guild to run.


End file.
